Marcellus industry escapes local property taxation

The points raised in Heather Long's recent column (April 17) are properly on target, but one additional tax needs to be included in the mix --- the local property tax.

For most of the commonwealth's history, oil and gas were assessable for property tax purposes and were part of the revenue base of schools, counties and municipalities.

Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in 2002 --- just before the Marcellus boom --- that we lacked clear statutory authority to include them on the assessment rolls.

So, since 2002, the industry has escaped local property taxation even though all other minerals, including coal, are part of the property tax roll.

Were they still assessable, it would greatly ease the tax burden on all of the remaining property taxpayers in our counties, municipalities and schools.

And it likely would have meant we would not now be seeking other alternatives, including local impact fees, to address the additional local services we provide the industry.

Instead, we have been trying for legislative passage of restoration of assessability or a severance tax with a local share or an impact fee, any of which would help us deal with the costs the industry imposes on local services such as roads, emergency planning and management, human services, criminal justice and others.